


Chain The Key

by chirithy



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, BUT IT WON'T LAST LONG I PROMISE, Bullying, Extremely slow build, Not canon-compliant, Slow Build, Tags Will Be Added As Story Progresses!, but there will be slow burn too, probably a ton
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-09-19 04:40:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9419174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chirithy/pseuds/chirithy
Summary: One boy, a member of Master Gula's union, Leopardos.Another boy, the only wielder of Master Luxu's, whose presence is rarely ever present in Daybreak Town.A friendship made between two different unions, the two are constantly scrutinized because of rumors that surround one's upbringing. Their capabilities as Keyblade Wielders will be tested through a series of challenges that aim to separate two friends. These challenges, however, may just be above them, for a greater threat has risen. The Master of Masters has disappeared, and none of the Foretellers know where he is. In a struggle to find his whereabouts and keep the balance between light and darkness, the Master's disciples must find out just what exactly was written in the missing page of the Book of Prophecies. Time is of the essence, for the Master has warned:The worlds are in danger again.****In short, I'm awful with summaries, and here's a Kingdom Hearts X AU that surrounds my guesses on why KHX and KHUX are completely separate stories, and will most likely be filled with a lot of angst that will make you feel like you're right back into middle school!





	1. Prologue I

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! This will be my first ever, multi-chaptered work I've ever made! I've written small one-shots before, but none of those even made it past 2000 words, and here's the first chapter, already past 4,000! I'm incredibly excited to share this with you. While the story will focus on OCs I've made for Kingdom Hearts, it will overall explain my own version of events of Kingdom Hearts X, and why Nomura says it's different from KHUX. As a disclaimer though, I do not know anything of the X story, or anything beyond the story currently told in NA's KHUX. The story won't be compliant with the story in X, and will definitely be darker than the series, but I hope you all will enjoy! It's my first story here on AO3, and I'm open to any constructive criticism, as I'm here to ultimately geek out with you all and practice on my writing! If there are any recommendations for future tags or any triggers I should be aware of, please feel free to let me know. Without further ado, here's the story!

The Master of Masters was not born into that title. He, too, was a fellow wielder of the Keyblade, a mystical weapon that was said to be the manifestation of a person’s will, a weapon granted to few. If blessed with this gift from the light above-- Kingdom Hearts-- a Keyblade wielder’s duty was to devote their life to the light and protect people from the creatures of the dark. With the key-shaped weapon, the wielder not only has a means to fight, but also unlocks the potential to use magic, a power that varied amongst wielders. While some couldn’t use magic at all, others would be able to use specific elements, such as ice or thunder. Certain people were also able to invoke healing spells, and ones that could defy and apply gravity. But perhaps the most mysterious power of the Keyblade is the ability lock and unlock anything, including the gates that led to worlds outside of their own. Though our own world may seem overwhelming as it is, the truth was that there were an infinite amount of other worlds that exist in parallel, all connected by the same sky. The Master had been a comrade and rookie wielder amongst his friends, using the Keyblade to travel to new places and help out when they can. One day, it would be a cat stuck in a tree, and the next, it would be a village needing someone to light a fire in the middle of a snowstorm. For the Master, he had a relatively peaceful career as a Keyblade wielder until “The Surge” happened. 

Legend has it that an unexplained uprising from the darkness had made its way into the light, and thus wreaked havoc on all of the worlds. It was up to all the Keyblade Masters-- the apostles of Kingdom Hearts who understood the true ways of a wielder-- to bring balance and restore light to humanity. However, the war was an effort that involved every wielder that existed throughout all the worlds. In the last clash of the war, the darkness had amassed into a group of six titanic humanoid creatures with an empty space in their chest, the void taking shape of a heart. With the Masters and the wielders in tow, the fight was extensive and the results devastating. Many wielders were lost in the war, and while there were surviving warriors of this calamity, the existing Masters were unable to see the days after the war. Out of the few who made it through the final battle, only one wielder was present throughout the clash, and that same wielder had taken the place of the leader in lieu of the Masters, leading the attack and delivering the final strike to bring an end to the chaos. Though at first inexperienced, he learned how to fight and wield magic through the harsh trials of chaos, capable of casting any spell, offensive or defensive. It was through this war that he had learned the weight of his responsibility as wielder. It was through this war that he had learned the grief that came with losing loved ones.  It was on that day that the creatures of the dark were termed as “Heartless,” and the brave warrior received the title “Master of Masters” in remembrance of his bravery and actions that will forever be a pinnacle of history.

Every day, as the Master of Masters visited the worlds to check on the restoration of peace, he would garner praise and adoration from people, some even calling him an angel from the land above, Kingdom Hearts. Eventually becoming a symbol of hope and even light itself, people would use the Master’s slogan to remind them to believe in a bright future: May your hearts be your guiding key. 

But the legendary Keyblade wielder slowly grew more preoccupied the more the worlds fell back into balance. The people were finally able to live without worries once more, but the war had started without an inkling, chaos blossoming into existence without any preemptive warning. There was truly no knowing if the darkness would return, and if that return would be inevitable, no one would know when, and the worlds would be enveloped in violence once more. Perhaps the fame had went to his head, but as the Master of Masters, it was too hard to put on a smile to the people thanking him when he could potentially be unable to save them again in the future. Because of this, the grand Master began to wonder: would there be a way to know when darkness would strike once more? What was once a fleeting thought had transformed into an obsession, the title bestowed upon him becoming a curse. He would know when the Darkness would strike next. He would know every time the Darkness would surface once more.

He redoubled his efforts on reversing the damage made from the fights, and even renamed the world that was the place of the final clash. In name of the sunrise that came the day after the war passed, the Master of Masters called this new place Daybreak Town, the home of the many Keyblade wielders, and the future ones to come. When all was complete, he told the people he would embark on a new journey in hopes of gaining more knowledge of the Dark Forces, and how to ensure both light and dark remain balanced. Many had volunteered to join him, but he had refused, perhaps out of concern for future casualties-- or was it pride for himself? Regardless, the Master assured everyone that he would be okay on his own, and needed the wielders to explore the worlds and ensure that the newly regained peace remains for the long term. 

With promises that his new town would be looked after, he set off to the beginning of his new journey to learn of what the future holds. He knew the only way to get his answer would be to search for the one, the true, and the holy: Kingdom Hearts.

Many months had passed since he had left on his quest. While many were scared that the Master would never return, others had pointed out that it was far too soon to assume the worst, and that bad thoughts could project into reality. The wielders remained loyal and continued to protect, continued to fight. The greatest fight of their lives were over, but remnants of the dark still remained, looming over people just as a threat just as big as the war itself. Just when the concern was beginning to spread to every citizen in Daybreak Town, the Master had returned, as if waiting to return at the most climactic and opportune time to shine. Grasped in his right hand was a large, leather-bound book, and alongside him were six masked figures, each with a Keyblade. The Master, in great spirits of his return, made merry with every face he saw, and made sure to give attention to each world to announce his return before he returned to his homeland to announce to the other wielders what he had come to learn. The creatures from the Realm of Darkness were known as “Heartless,” manifestations of the Dark Forces, and surfaced to the Realm of Light on a mission to steal pure hearts. Furthermore, the war that still ached the hearts of many was conceived from an evolution of the Heartless; they had learned that by roaming to the Realm of Light, there would be opportunities to steal hearts and turn it to Darkness. While the Heartless had already surfaced to the Light before the war, it was a “collective progression” for them all to learn that their forces and power could increase by exploring and taking of the very purity only a few of them had ventured into. All of this was written in his book, to which he dubbed “The Book of Prophecies.” His apostles, master is the Keyblade in their own right, would be given the title of “Foretellers” along with the responsibility to nurture the children of the Keyblade, and the future generations to come. Above all, the foretellers were granted one task: to collect Lux, the light that was stolen from the Heartless.

Years had passed and true enough, the Heartless continued to return in numbers. It was by no means as strenuous as what was now called “The Dark Surge,” but it was a test of will, a coming-of-age lesson that Darkness would always be an opposing force throughout the worlds. The wielders, though initially hesitant of the Foretellers, had quickly grown to love them and look up to them just as much as they do the Master. They were kind, yet strong and determined leaders, each in charge of one large group of Keyblade apprentices. And because the young wielders would always report back to them on the Lux they collected and their discoveries of new worlds and Heartless, they were really close to their Foretellers, who took on the role of another parent. The worlds, though by no means were ever truly at peace, were stable enough to bring happiness for everyone. 

On one particular day, Aced needed to find the Master in order to report a new location his wielders had discovered during their patrol of the worlds. Not seeing him in Daybreak Town, the Foreteller figured that he would be in his home dozing off and shying away from responsibilities. With that thought in mind, Aced trekked over to the Master’s abode. However, even after knocking on the front door several times, it turned out that even the house was devoid of the Master’s presence. Dread had begun to bloom in the back of his mind, but he pushed it away, convincing himself that he just picked the most inopportune time to search for him. Still, he thought it best to approach his friends, the other Foretellers, to see what they had thought. He brought the subject to a few of them when they gathered in Aced’s home after they ate dinner with their apprentice wielded. 

“What do you mean you can’t find him? He’s always greeting people and playing with the kids instead of focusing on getting rid of the Heartless,” said Gula. The shortest of the male Foretellers, he donned a leopard’s mask and led his union of wielders under the name of Leopardos. 

“There’s no need to be rash about this Gula, I’m sure there must be an explanation for this,” said Invi, the eldest female of the Foretellers. Behind her snake’s mask was a kind and passionate heart, which made her the “mother-like” figure for both the Foretellers and her union, Anguis.

“Even so, Aced is definitely right to be concerned. It’s not like him to just leave unannounced,” said Ira. The eldest of all the Foretellers (yet still dwarfed by the larger Aced), he is often made fun of for his unicorn mask. However, that only gives way to show how fair and even joyful he may be to his union Unicornis, regardless of his righteous personality.

“Thank you Ira,” said Aced with a heaving sigh of relief. With such a low temper, he would have had launched into a yelling episode amongst his friends had Ira not given him validation. It’s an almost fitting trait for someone with such intimidating bulk to don a bear’s mask. And yet, While fully aware of his flaw, Aced is often embarrassed of his actions afterward, and deeply cares deeply for his friends and pupils under his wing, Ursus. 

“I think we should go to the Master’s house together and try to see if he's there again, you might have just missed him before he went somewhere after all,” Invi pointed out. 

Successfully playing as the voice of reason, murmurs of agreement fell amongst the four of them just as the door opened. Though disappointed it wasn't the Master, they still welcomed the final two of the foretellers. 

“What's going on? Are we going somewhere?” asked the smallest and youngest of the group. Despite her young age, Ava was a force to be reckoned with, and was considered the most popular of the foretellers, since she was near the same age as the wielders she led in her union, Vulpes.

“Yes, we’re going to see if the Master has returned home yet. We've grown worried as we don't know his whereabouts,” Ira explained.

“The Master? That's odd… But he always tells us when he's going somewhere… Did I say something?” Luxu asked as he was distracted from his thinking due to Ira’s grin to the other Foretellers. The black sheep of the Foretellers, Luxu never showed his mask to the wielders, not even the Foretellers nor the Master himself. Shrouded by the hood of his black cloak, Luxu was the complete opposite of Ava: unpopular, unapproachable, and perhaps even feared. Because of that, he did not lead his own union. However, the Foretellers treated Luxu no differently in their group, and was just as strong and faithful as the rest.

“Never mind that, let’s go see the Master now that we’re all together. We can give ’Master Child’ a lesson to tell us wherever he goes at all times. Plus, Aced doesn't want to go again because he gets paranoid that things just don't go his way,” Gula teased, earning a huff of indignation from Aced. 

 

*******

 

The Foretellers would have made it to the Master’s house faster, but Ava thought it would be nice to pick some flowers to offer to him as a gift. After a half hour of picking various flowers, the other Foretellers pitching in and finding their own favorite flowers to give, they finally headed to the Master’s home, plants safely nestled in Ava’s basket. 

“Hello, Master?” Gula knocked on the door, but like last time, there was no response. 

Invi approached the door this time and knocked, trying her luck. “Master? The six of us are here to see you, Aced’s been worried about you. Little Ava even brought flowers for you!”

Even with the alluring invitation, the door continued on unopened. A silence fell amongst the Foretellers, and though Aced had the gumption to lift his arms and shrug in an “I told you so” manner, Ira was not in a joking manner. 

Brushing past Gula and Invi, the Unicornis leader pounded his fist on the door, his anxiety less masked than the others.

“Master! Please open the door! Master!” cries Ira, but even with the incessant noise, it was clear the Master would not answer. He was not in his house. 

Testing the door handle and willing it to unlock, Ira continued to jiggle the knob until Aced had gently pushed him aside before slamming his shoulder into the door, coercing it to open. As it turned out, Ira’s worries were the driving force of Aced’s returning anxiety.

“You could have just used the Keyblade to unlock the door, you know…” Ava mumbled, not enjoying the violent opening of the door. Aced gave a small look her way and slightly hung his head in apology.

Walking inside, the six Foretellers were shocked to find a mess of the Master’s home: chairs on the ground, drawers in disarray, and perhaps the most shocking, scratch marks on the walls. It was clear that a fight had taken place here. 

Though tensions were rising to the brink of panic, the Foretellers began to take action. Even Ava, the youngest of them all, had gingerly placed her basket aside and hunched her shoulders, prepared for anything to happen. 

“First, we look for any clues to what might have happened here. Any of his important belongings, a message, anything like that. Then, we reconvene and plan our next steps,” Ira commanded, waiting for each Foretellers to nod their agreement. 

“Okay, let's split up. We’ll meet back in twenty minutes. If Heartless show up, shout and we’ll all meet and fight together. Good luck.”

Even in a small, one-story house, the Foretellers made their leap into action as graceful as a performance in a ballet. Swift, yet thorough, the house was combed for any clues that would lead them to the Master. Five of the foretellers had were sad to report that they had found nothing. 

The sixth, however, had found something interesting.

“I found it under in a false drawer in the kitchen,” Ava said. 

Questions of how she was able to identify a false drawer would be brought up later, because what was in the small Foreteller’s hands was the Book of Prophecies. It had always been assumed that only the Master had the power and authority to look inside the book, let alone even hold it in their hands. Just looking at it alone was enough to make the six hold their breaths in anxiety. This alone was enough to imply that the Master was definitely on the run. How were they not able to sense that something was wrong to intervene? With virtually no leads, they were left with shame for their incapability to protect the Master.

“You know… The book does is supposed to tell us of the future, right?” Luxu began.

“No, I don’t want to hear any of that nonsense, Luxu,” Ira said, voice harsh and condescending.

“Then what do you propose? We just sit and twiddle our thumbs? Search every world high and low? You know that if we sit here, the Master is out there possibly fighting for his life, and if we try to search, it could take years to track him down. There are so many worlds out there, far greater than the ones we’ve traveled to. We could reach somewhere right when he’d be leaving to another place!” Though Luxu hid his face, the gestures he made with his hands and the exasperated tone he used was able to convey his frustration. 

“He has a point,” Aced reasoned. The other Foretellers knew that Luxu had a point too; if they are able to even find a hint of what had happened or where the Master might have gone to, then they’d have a chance to get him back. And yet, beneath the purpose, there was still the unspoken truth that everyone in the room was curious as to what was inside the book-- what insights they could uncover, and the things they could do with said knowledge.

Ira looked as if he was ready to rebuttal with another argument, but Invi had taken the book that was still in Ava’s hands and placed it on the kitchen table, left hand resting on the cover.

“I’m sure if the Master understood our intentions, then he wouldn’t be upset with us, considering we’re doing this for his sake.” 

She took a hesitant approach with the pages, reverently holding each page as if it would crumble at the slightest touch. And yet she skimmed through every word, just trying to look for anything that would help provide an inkling to the situation, anything about the Master. Not only was she worried that she was wasting time looking through the book, she was also afraid of the what the Master would think of her looking into the Prophecies, regardless of what her actions implied. 

Midway through her search, she encountered something strange about the book. 

“Everyone, take a look at this,” she beckoned the group to come closer. Slowly, the other five went to see the book and understood what she wanted them to see. There was blatant evidence of a page being ripped out of the book, but in its place was a blank sheet of paper scrawled with a message whose handwriting unmistakably belonged to the master.

“The worlds are in danger again.”

Another silence fell upon the six. What was the threat endangering the worlds? Why didn’t he tell them? Where did the missing page go, and why was the note written inside the book? It wasn’t until Ira spoke that the others broke out of their own thoughts and questions.

“Gula, go lock the door to this house. We’ll need to talk about what we need to do from here on out. If the Master is gone, we’ll need to do what we can to keep this world-- and the other worlds-- safe.”

 

*******

 

“What will we tell the apprentice wielders?” Invi wondered aloud.

“I don’t think we should be telling them anything. It would just scare them, don’t you agree?” Ava replied.

“Yes, that’s a great point. We’ll just say that he’s gone to look for more wielders. It’s not unheard of to find wielders outside of this world. They’ll just think he’s looking to find those wielders and let them know there are other people who can use the Keyblade.” No one had argued with Ira’s story, since it had seemed solid enough of a story.

“And what do we do? Shouldn’t we try to find him?” Aced asked.

“Yes, but we can’t do it altogether, or else no one will be able to look after Daybreak Town. And if we have a set schedule, the wielders will start to get suspicious too…” Gula pointed out. This had stumped the Foretellers, as finding a balance between keeping the wielders safe and searching for the Master wherever he may be was a difficult one to do.

“I’ll go full-time, then,” Luxu volunteered, earning many heads quickly facing his direction.

“Out of all of us, I’m the one that wouldn’t gather much attention if I’d left. I don’t do as much socializing amongst the wielders compared to the rest of you, and it’s not like they want me to either,” the hooded Foreteller explained. It was sad that it was an unfortunate reason for his proposed appearance to go unnoticed, but no one tried to say otherwise. Without a doubt, the wielders felt a sense of unease with Luxu. Even while the rest of the Foretellers hid their eyes, he chose to cloak his entire body in his black coat. 

“Would you be okay, being all alone? Don’t you want one of your friends to join you?” Ava asked, brows furrowing as she was visibly saddened by this idea.

“It’s okay, you all need to focus on keeping the light safe. I’ll just focus on searching for the one who made it safe to begin with,” Luxu coaxed with a gentle tone. He was touched by Ava’s concern. Yes, it would be incredibly lonely, but what he said was the truth: he would do it for them, and for their master.

“In that case, you can count on me to look for him as well,” Aced said. “I won’t be able to search directly with you, but I’ll join the wielders in finding new worlds. Someone in my union actually discovered one earlier today.”

“Really? Do you think seeing new worlds could help us find the Master?” Invi asked.

“No, not necessarily. But, I do think that if we can find what’s threatening the worlds, it could help us find both find a solution and help the Master at the same time,” Aced explained.

“I’ll keep you updated then by coming back every now and then to let you know of my progress, and I yours,” Luxu agreed. 

“Right, in the meanwhile, Invi, Ava, Gula and I will keep order in Daybreak Town and amongst the young ones. The Master’s counting on us to make sure Darkness doesn’t win. Not now, and not ever,” Ira said, his voice brimming with authority, earning nods from the other five.

“In that case, I’ll be off by morning. I’ll gather everything I’ll need for the journey, and leave before dawn,” Luxu said.

Though saddened that the wielder would leave so soon, Aced saved face and gave the other a warm smile.

“May our hearts be our guiding key.”

With hugs from the others and well wishes exchanged, the Foretellers decided to call it a night and get some rest. In some ways, the battle against the darkness had already begun, and the fight to maintain peace well underway. It would without a doubt be a challenge to remain calm and act ignorant of the threat looming above them, but with so many questions unanswered, it would throw the young apprentices into a panic. 

After unlocking the door he sealed with his Keyblade, Gula patiently waited for the others to leave before locking it once more. Aced was discussing with his friends about the newly discovered world, which he called “Radiant Garden.” However, the last person to leave had waited for it to just be the two of them.

“Gula, if you have a minute, I’d like to talk to you about something important before I leave,” Luxu said in a hushed tone.

Out of concern and as his friend, Gula simply nodded, following Luxu after sealing the Master’s house. As they halted at the town gardens, he took a second to admire the greenery that surrounded him, and the tranquil fountain that showered water in the middle of it all.

“It must be something really important if you took me to the outskirts of the town before talking to me,” Gula joked, but something in Luxu’s posture said that now wasn’t the time for bantering.

“I have a secret I was planning on telling you all, but I think it’s safer if I only told you,” Luxu said to the shorter master.

“I was about to take in a wielder under my wing-- under my union.”

“What? You never told us you had a union, Luxu!” Gula exclaimed, visibly hurt from the secret.

“I don’t, or at least I wasn’t planning on it. But one of the kids approached me and said he wanted me to be his mentor… I was so happy, but didn’t know what the repercussions would be.” Before Gula could open his mouth to speak, Luxu pushed on.

“I already said none of the kids like me, Gula. If someone actually was in a union that I led, what would the other kids do to him? I don’t want to make someone go through all of that, to feel ostracized just because they were with someone they didn’t like. But this is good, if I leave now, he can be under someone else’s wing, and he wouldn’t be judged for it. And out of all five of you, I think you’re the best one to take him.”

“Why me, though? Any one of us are completely capable of having another wielder in our union,” Gula asked.

“Because, you know Ira and Invi like to play the role of ‘team mom and dad,’ Aced is always complaining about his wielders doing something he doesn’t like, and I still think Ava is too young to be leading a union,” Luxu explained, and even with the notes of sarcasm, it still rang some semblance of truth.

“And me? Why do you think I’m the best candidate for your wielder?” Gula raised a brow, wondering what Luxu would say about him.

“I’m asking you because I know out of all six of us, you’re the one who takes in the most wielders, and I know part of that is because you want to be known as the leader of the union who collects the most Lux,” the cloaked Foreteller said.

“It’s not a matter of who’s capable of teaching him, it’s a matter of who would want him.”

Gula gulped out of nervous habit. Was he really that transparent? 

“Even so… What would you tell your student? That you decided to hitchhike and take him on another time?” Gula countered.

“That’s exactly it,” Luxu said. “You’re going to say that I didn’t want him but didn’t know how to break the news, and brushed him off to you. It’ll give me the same unlikeable personality, and he’ll love you more!”

“Don’t you think you’re playing the self-deprecation card a bit too much?” Gula drawled. He really didn’t like how his friend was downplaying himself all the time. 

“Eh, maybe, but it gets the job done,” Luxu said without any hint of worries. He stretched and looked up to the night sky, scattered with the stars that twinkled with warm, inviting light. 

Regardless of what Gula would say, the other Foreteller had already made his mind up.

With a heaving sigh, Gula looked up along with his companion. With a comfortable silence between the two, they both knew that Gula would have done anything Luxu asked. That was just how friendships worked. 

“You’ll find him in the house across from Invi’s new student. You know the one I’m talking about, right? She’s a strong fighter; Invi thinks she has a lot of potential as a mage.” Luxu was still looking at the stars, but he could Gula nod through his periphery.

“And what is this wielder’s name?” Gula asked.

At that question, Luxu diverted his attention from the stars, and turned his body to fully face Gula with a smile.

“His name is Donavan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of Chapter Theme:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iXT9eWgaMw


	2. Prologue II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Luxu is off on his mission, Gula meets this "Donavan" that he's been told of and introduces him into his union.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I know it's been nearly five months since I posted anything for this story. For the people that gave this initial story a chance, thank you! And for the people that gave kudos to this story and somehow found your way back to read more of this tale, THANK YOU! To anyone wondering, YES I plan on finishing this story, and in terms of plot, everything's complete on my end. The only problem is finding the time to actually sit down and write this out! But if you give me the time and chance, I hope to create a small story for those who want to read a more darker story in the Kingdom Hearts series, and for anyone who is thinking about making stories about themselves or their Keykids in the world of KHUX. At any rate, please enjoy this new chapter!
> 
> And many thanks to Suzuka for beta-reading this chapter!

“You’re Donavan, right?”

The boy in question was playing in the flower fields of Daybreak Town, squatting in the field and plucking dandelions from the grass. Upon hearing his name, he started and looked up at the person asking for him. A figure cloaked in gray and yellow loomed over the boy’s sitting stature. 

Master Luxu? The boy had wondered, but knew he was wrong to believe that when he saw the leopard’s mask donned onto the person’s face-- gold orbs shining brightly where their eyes were supposed to be. He nodded simultaneously in understanding and in greeting, standing up to meet the person’s gaze.

“Hello Master Gula,” he greeted with apprehension and nervousness. Of course he knew of all the foretellers, but this was the first time he ever talked to the foreteller.

The foreteller nodded in response to the greeting. For Gula, he was surprised to see Donavan was so… young. Even from far away, the foreteller could see that the Keyblade wielder could only be considered as a teenager if one squinted their eyes three miles away. His rounded face, draped by unkempt, dusty gray hair was evidence of his youth. Wide, sea-green eyes showed a vulnerability that only those who were older could call “innocence”. Such a figure of said innocence would make Gula crack a smile, but with the news he was about to relay, he couldn’t help but feel sad for the child.

“How old are you?” asked the foreteller. 

“I'm fourteen years old, I'll be fifteen really soon though.” said Donavan. His tone sounded both proud and defensive at the same time. Though by soon enough, he really meant eleven months.

“Master Luxu told me about you, you’re going to join his union, yes?”

At the proposed question, some tension was released from Donavan’s shoulders, and the boy gave a wide smile, nodding emphatically.

“Yes! He told me he could teach me how to be a strong fighter! Master Luxu said that I have a lot of potential, and that’s why he wanted me to join his union. He said I could join sometime this week. Do you think he’ll have cake? I like eating cake a lot.”

The mouth-dribble was both endearing and cringe-worthy, but showed that the boy was not always as reserved as he initially was; no doubt, there was an eager soul inside Donavan. It clearly made delivering the news a more difficult task. Lips pressed into a thin line, the foreteller ignored the question and moved on.

“Master Luxu had to leave for a mission, but we don’t know how long he will be. He didn’t have enough time to let you know so I’m here to tell you in his place.”

At that, the young wielder’s smile began to fade, and shifted into a drawn frown. As expected of an innocent youth, some light had begun to fade from his eyes upon hearing this. Retreating back down from into a squat, he wrapped his arms around his knees. 

“But… Master Luxu promised he would teach me…” 

Gula groaned inwardly at the understandably dramatic display; for a kid who was fourteen, he sure seemed like he was four and three quarters. Why did he agree to this? He wasn’t good with emotions, any of the foretellers could attest to that. At this moment, he wanted to pinch his nose in frustration; he might not appear it, but he really did care about the wielders in Daybreak Town and wanted nothing more than a bright future for them all.

Unfortunately, he was just born with a carefree attitude and a tone that falsely implied disinterest in people.

Shaking his head from his small pity-party, he focused back onto the conversation. “Yes, and he still will teach you. We just don’t know when he will be back to do that. But don’t worry, if he promised you, he’ll keep to his word. A promise is a promise after all.” While he couldn’t offer a winning smile, Gula gave a small smile to try and convey reassurance that everything would be okay.

“Really? You think so?” the boy asked. By some luck, it got Donavan to stop frowning, and his face was filled with a little bit of hope.

“I absolutely think so Donavan.” Gula nodded. “But in the meantime, what do you think of joining my union? You won’t officially be in Leopardos, but I can look after you in the meantime and train you.”

“W-Why would you do that…?” Donavan asked warily.

“Because Master Luxu wanted me to, and there’s no way you can learn how to use the Keyblade on your own. I can teach you in the meantime,” the Foreteller responded, but his response made Donavan furiously shake his head.

“No! I don’t want to learn about the Keyblade. Not until Master Luxu teaches me. A promise is a promise. You said so yourself!” he exclaimed, arms making abortive flailing motions.

At such earnestness, Gula couldn’t help but laugh, shoulders shaking. “Okay, okay. You won’t learn the Keyblade from me. But still, you can come under the protection of my union if you join. Even if you don’t want to learn how to fight, you need to at least learn how to protect yourself.”

At the declaration, the foreteller extended his hand, reaching towards the young boy.

“Deal?” he proffered.

Eyeing the hand, he furrowed his eyebrows and looked downwards.  
“But… I don’t know anyone. And, I’m-- I’m afraid to meet new people.”

“A lot of people are afraid of making friendships. It’s easy to be afraid, but it’s just as easy to try anyways.” Shrugging, Master Gula continued. “Besides, you might get some relief after trying.”

“Relief? Relief from what?” questioned the child.

“In this case, relief in knowing that you can make friends if you try hard enough,” Gula said with an easy smile.

It took a few seconds-- the boy’s thought process clearly displayed through his shifting eyes and constant eyebrow movement, expressions constantly shifting between various stages of thinking-- but Donavan slowly began to match Gula’s smile with the knowledge that he wouldn’t be alone. He wouldn’t have his foreteller, but he would have a foreteller, at least. With that, he reached for the master’s hand in acceptance-- of the offer, of the foreteller, and of his future.

“Deal.”

*******

“Wielders, gather ‘round!” Gula rallied. Every five days, the Leopardos union would meet together, serving as a hybrid of union bonding, and as a way to report new findings during the daily journeys that came with fighting the Heartless. There was idle chatter going around, but upon hearing their master’s voice, the crowd became silent and huddled together, awaiting to hear the upcoming news.

“Today, I’d like for you to welcome a new wielder. Please show your kindness and greetings to Donavan.”

With the announcement, several hands clapped as Donavan emerged from behind Gula’s figure. Despite his eagerness to be with so many people, he was a shy person and settled for a meek wave back to everyone, a small smile on his face. 

“Donavan will be helping us in our goal to gain Lux, but he is a temporary member in our union. Therefore, I expect you to treat him with the same kindness as you would to another comrade in your union,” Gula explained. 

At this, however, the applauding stopped and was replaced by murmurs among the crowd. Donavan didn't have to hear their words to understand that they were uncomfortable with this idea. 

“Master Gula, is that wise? Why do we have someone pretending to be a part of our union?” piped one of the wielders in the crowd. 

“There’s no need to ask if something is wise if it’s a matter of caring for other wielders. We may be split into unions, but before we are union members, we are Keyblade Wielders, and before that, friends to one another.” 

At this, the crowd began to quiet, but even then there were lingering whispers and murmurs. For Gula, the response would have to do. 

“Until Donavan can return to his union, he’ll be under our protection. The only change that will happen is that he will join us in our union meetings and activities. You should already be welcoming of him and offer your friendship and support to him. Kindness isn’t exclusive to your union.”

Faces were drawn into frowns, and during the whole speech, Donavan only increasingly became more uncomfortable. He was beginning to wonder whether or not this was a good idea to join Leopardos. Unfortunately, whether he liked it or not, Master Luxu had already made this arrangement. Therefore, he would have to put belief in him that this was the right choice.

There was little else to be said after that announcement, and some people dispersed from the group, others loitering around to hold idle conversation. The master placed a hand on Donavan’s shoulder and gave a reassuring smile before leaving shortly after. With him gone, Donavan was more anxious being with these other wielders, for he was truly alone in a sea of strangers. 

“Hey, so what Union are you from?” called a boy’s voice that shook him out of his thoughts. Turning around, he found two people walking towards him-- one boy, and one girl. The boy had dark brown shaggy hair, donning a black coat, while the girl had short, strikingly sky-blue hair and wore a simple shirt and jeans. 

“You look like you come from Ursus. You’ve got that quiet air about you,” remarked the girl, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Nah, he looks more like an Anguis kid. Without a doubt,” said the boy. 

“Well, what is it? You just ignoring us or something?” 

“I… Um…” Maybe it was the bombardment of questions, or the half-curious, half-judging faces of his newfound interviewers. Maybe it was being placed into a substitute union while the master of his real union was taking care of his own business, leaving him abandoned. Whatever the reason, he was nervous and simply couldn’t answer the girl’s question. It may have only been a few seconds of pause, but to Donavan, it felt like a heart-pounding year. The look those two people were giving didn’t mask their thoughts in any form; it was clear they viewed Donavan was an outsider. Suffocated with anxiety, he was about to leave, but at the last second remembered Master Gula’s words:

It’s easy to be afraid, but it’s just as easy to try anyways.

Snapping out of his downward spiral, he noticed that the two had already begun to lost interest in him and were about to walk away. It was then that he found his voice.

“I’m in Master Luxu’s union.”

Shocked, the duo stopped walking, pausing before slowly turning towards the boy once more.

“You’re kidding, aren’t you?” the blue-haired girl asked.

“No. Why would I be?”

“Because that dude’s a creep.” the boy replied, humorlessly laughing. 

“He’s not a creep; he’s a foreteller and I chose to be a part of his union,” Donavan argued. 

“The creep,” the girl corrected, “Doesn’t even have a union. Everyone knows that he’s the only foreteller that doesn’t have one.”

“I’m telling you, he does! I’m the first member!” he yelled, frustration leaking into his voice.

“Okay first member, since you claim it so much, why don’t you tell me the name of his union? If you can tell me that, I’ll back off,” the other boy challenged.

But that in itself was the dilemma; Donavan didn’t know the name of his own union. It was something he tried not to think about when he first met Luxu, but the truth was that he still felt skeptical of it all. And yet, there was something excited about it-- being wanted, feeling like there was a place where he belonged. With no answer to give, he was caught, and deflated in his silence.

“Can’t tell me, can you?” the brown-haired boy asked, breaking the pause in conversation. 

When his question was met with yet another few moments of silence, he scoffed, getting ready to walk away with the girl he was with.

“What a sham.”

*******

After that night, Donavan discovered that the boy’s name was Nikolai, and the girl’s Annabeth. They were three years older than him, making the two of them seventeen. The pair met just about four years ago, when they were both initiated into Leopardos at the same time. They were considered veterans in the Leopardos union and always fought as a duo on their quests. Though originally as friends, they slowly grew to become something much more, and a romance had blossomed between them. While some were shocked, most were able to see a chemistry between the two of them. Nothing as grand as a fiery passion, but something more akin to pure, unadulterated affection. 

Being the model of the perfect couple and combat experts, they were highly revered by the other wielders in the union. Unfortunately, it was because of their influence that other wielders began to look at Donavan the same way the couple viewed him. They had spread word that his original union was indeed, Master Luxu’s, but that was the extent of their honesty.

“I heard that Master Luxu got in trouble for starting a union without Master Ira’s approval, and had to give him up to Leopardos.”

“Did you know that Donavan doesn’t use a Keyblade? They say it’s because his key belongs to the Realm of Darkness.”

“When Nikolai and Annabeth tried to greet him into the union, he refused their friendship and outright told them he hated them!”

This and that, insult by insult, Donavan was brought into Master Gula’s union with his personality predetermined: a lonely, antisocial boy who was a part of some conspiracy theory to wreak havoc amongst the Keyblade wielders. And while most of these insults were incorrect, it was undeniable that he was, indeed, lonely. At first, he was determined to make some friends and show people just how wrong the rumors were about him; he really was a kind-hearted individual who just wanted to know what having friends was like. Yet no matter how hard he tried, people would shy away from him, giving him the same awkward stare that would make his heart clench, and feet twitch between staying put and running away. Talking to Master Gula had run his mind before, but anyone could see that the Foretellers were busy, congregating in meetings several times a week. The union meetings between masters and wielders, once a weekly affair, was now seldom held monthly, and everyone knew that this was a time to not impose on trivial affairs. To the boy, it was already good enough that Master Gula was out training him in the art of magic. While seemingly nonchalant about the training and saying it was “no big deal,” Donavan could see the lines of concern etched into Gula’s forehead, and his mouth drawn into a tight line out of the corner of his eye. And so, out of respect for the Leopardos leader, and fear of his own self-deemed “trivial nuisance,” when Donavan had finally managed to master his first spell, the element of ice, he decided to say the lessons were no longer needed, and voice nothing more than that, his concerns and insecurities shoved away for thinking at night.

The days came and went, and so did the weeks until ten months had passed. Everyone’s opinions of Donavan may have stayed the same, but Donavan himself had gradually transformed into the solemn recluse people had rumored him to be. Like a self-fulfilling prophecy, he no longer tried meeting new people, and went on his union’s missions alone, wielding nothing but the power to summon ice on command. When he went back to Daybreak Town, he would go to his room and sit in his bed while peering out of the window, watching the water fountains as they flowed. To him, the water was a silent companion, independently going about its day, even in the boy’s presence; to Donavan, that would have to be enough.

He still went to the union inductions to greet and welcome new members. While he no longer expected to make friends out of the newcomers, he still felt it his obligation to show that the new wielders were very most welcome. While the union members gathered around Gula and the the line of new wielders, Donavan chose to stay in the back, ready to leave immediately after the welcoming ceremony was over.

“Please welcome these new wielders. As always, I ask that you welcome them and treat them as you do your friends, and make sure they feel at home here.”

The congratulatory applause was made, and after a few of the usual announcements, the Master had wished everyone a good night and left, no doubt meeting with the other Foretellers once more. Taking that as his cue to leave, Donavan began to walk back to his room when he saw someone rushing past him. Blinking twice, he realized that it was one of the new wielders. He couldn’t call out his name, since he did not listen to hear his (or anyone else’s) name, so he did what anyone else would do.

Silently stalk the newbie and see where he would go.

While he felt partially ashamed to be following a stranger, he was also bored and was obviously not going to do anything when he returned home. Plus, what if he got lost later on? Someone would have to lead him back to the Leopardos dormitory. That was what he told himself to not get feel guilty as he continued to follow the new boy. The (denied) stalking led him through a windy path of alleys and buildings, eventually leading him to the clock tower-- Daybreak Town’s looming centerpiece. The boy was about to walk inside when out of some unknown impulse, Donavan opened his mouth to speak for the first time in what felt like ages.

“You can’t go in there.”

Startled, the boy let out a yelp and turned right around to face Donavan. He had tanned skin and ruffled brown hair. Green eyes looked at him in nervousness and embarrassment, hands up as if he got caught by the police.

“Oh! Uh, I’m sorry, it’s just that I’m new here and-- uh, well I-- I just wanted to explore and see this place while it was quiet!”

With a faint smirk, Donavan replied, “I can understand that, the roads here can get way too congested. Too many wielders, not enough ground. At least, that’s what I usually think.” Tilting his head to one side, he asked, “Why aren’t you meeting with the new wielders, though? They’re going to be your teammates from here on out.”

No longer feeling trapped, the boy let down his hands and started scratching his head, a slight frown on his face.

“Well, it’s not that I don’t want to meet them… It’s just that I feel like it’s too much for me. I’d rather meet with people one at a time and get to know them. Aren’t you just making acquaintances with people whose names you won’t remember?”

“Yeah, that’s usually what happens,” Donavan answered with a shrug. “How old are you anyways?”

“Oh, I turned thirteen a month ago,” the boy replied. That would make him a year younger than Donavan.

“And don’t worry about meeting people. Besides, you know me now, right?” The boy smiled and extended his hand out to the other. “I’m Rowan, what’s your name?”

Donavan stared at the offered hand in shock; it just seemed too good to be true. But the silence must have been far longer than he had thought, because Rowan’s smile started to falter a little.

“Oh, uh, sorry. It’s probably a bit too soon to be friends, huh?” With a weak laugh, he began to pull his hand back, but was stopped when Donavan hastily grabbed his hand back with a clammy grip. 

“No, I’m sorry. It’s just that you’re really kind, and it surprised me a little, that’s all. I’m Donavan. It’s really nice to meet you.” It was his turn now to feel embarrassed. What did friends do after they were introduced to each other? This was the farthest he had ever gotten!

Luckily for Donavan, Rowan was fairly relieved by the belated handshake, and took the awkwardness in stride, an easy smile shown on the latter’s face. 

Encouraged by that one small action, Donavan tried to talk some more. “So, what world do you come from?” 

It seemed like the right question, because said smile turned into a grin. “Well since you asked so nicely…”

With an outstretched hand, Rowan closed his eyes and began to concentrate. It started out as one shimmer of light, faint yet bright, that attracted yet another shimmer, followed by another until they all aggregated into a ball of light at the palm of his open hand. Squeezing the sphere, the light shattered and took form as a Keyblade, its design studded with jewels and a pick axe jutting out at the end. 

Puffing his chest out, Rowan waved his weapon in a ridiculously grandiose manner that made Donavan smile yet again. It took months for him to have a quiet manner, and yet it only took a few minutes to bring that old, excitable self back to the surface once more.

“This, my friend, is Treasure Trove, a Keyblade forged from the heart of the Dwarf Woodlands!” 

Donavan made a noise of acknowledgement; he’d been to the world before. Not so often, but enough to know what the world was like.

“So I take it you were a villager then?”

“Yeah, it was me and my dad living in a village just outside the castle. We mainly went to the woods gathering wood to sell.”

“Ohhh, so a lumberjack eh, Rowan?” Donavan joked, eliciting a laugh from the other kid. 

“I wish, maybe I’ll look good in plaid one day. I’ll just stick with these for now,” Rowan replied, gesturing to his gray and brown tank top and pants. 

“It’s a start, but I’m sure we can find the right outfit for you soon, Jack,” Donavan teased, the both of them laughing once more.

“So how about you? What’s your home world? Show me your Keyblade!” 

The question reminded him of the retorts and looks other people had given before, and it shocked him still, cleaning the smile off his face. Rowan could immediately see something was wrong and backtracked.

“I mean, you don’t have to show me if you don’t want to. I get it if it’s a sensitive topic.”

Trying to find the words, Donavan spoke slowly. “I’m sorry, it’s just that… I haven’t summoned my Keyblade yet.” 

Looking at Rowan’s confused expression, Donavan continued. “As far as I can remember, I’ve lived here in Daybreak Town all this time. But I’ve also lived by myself here as well. The only person to have guided me all this time was Master Luxu, one of the Foretellers in this union. He let me into his home and always made sure I had something to eat, and found a room for me in one of the vacant buildings to stay in, just outside the square where the town’s fountain is.”

“But what about your parents?” Rowan asked.

“Well… I asked Master Luxu that, but he told me that they were survivors of the The Surge, a war that took place years ago. They had me as their child, but shortly after I was born, they went off on a quest and had me in his care… But they’ve yet to return since…” 

“And what about your Keyblade?”

“Well… I never knew I had the power to use one until Luxu told me a year ago. He said he would teach me how to summon and wield it, but now he’s off on a quest of his own, and I…” 

It was the first time ever that someone had asked him about his parents. He found it very hard to explain, and by the end of his story, his voice trailed off into a mumble, eyes downcast. He tried not to think of it, but deep down it was a concern of his, having the only constant adult figure in his life go on a certain “quest” like the parents he never met, only to possibly never see them again. Being forced to move into the Leopardos building after being taking under Master Gula’s wing, there was no trace, no reminder of his time with neither his parents nor Master Luxu.

He felt alone, and he was scared.

Rowan saw Donavan’s demeanor and knew that was enough of sharing backstories, and tried to divert the subject.

“Well, when he comes back, I’ll be there to watch when you summon your Keyblade for the very first time.”

Looking up, Donavan looked at the other boy with eyes watered from emotion.

“You would do that?” His voice could not hide the hope that was inside his chest.

With a sure smile and a decisive nod, Rowan looked straight back to his new friend.

“It’s a promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of Chapter Theme:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJf9wrxcfAk
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading! This chapter is a bit shorter than I anticipated/wanted, but at least I already have the third chapter in the works.
> 
> To see Donavan's, Rowan's, Nikolai's, and Annabeth's designs, as well as one more character to be introduced later on, see the link below!
> 
> http://datadonald.tumblr.com/tagged/datadonalds-OCs


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